Carter didn’t qualify for nuke submarines

Published: Friday, August 29, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 4:16 p.m.

To The Editor: This letter is in response to two in the Times-News, one on Aug. 12 titled “Right on McCain, Wrong on Carter,” and the second on Aug. 1 titled “Obama no less qualified than McCain.”

I was pleased that one author implicitly conceded that Sen. McCain’s military experience does set him apart from Sen. Obama, who has had none. The author, however, challenged my contention that President Jimmy Carter had never been qualified to command a nuclear submarine. The Aug. 1 letter stated “Carter...was qualified to command a nuclear submarine.” My Aug. 7 rebuttal stated “President Jimmy Carter, while a qualified submarine officer, never served on board a nuclear submarine and was never “qualified for command” of such a ship.”

The operative word is “nuclear.” Carter had become qualified to command submarines, but “not nuclear” submarines, an important distinction, as anyone who served in the Submarine Force when it was comprised of both conventional (diesel-electric) and nuclear submarines can attest.

While President Carter was a competent and qualified submarine officer, he never commanded a diesel submarine, attended nuclear power school or completed nuclear PCO training, therefore he was never “qualified to command a nuclear submarine.”

<p>To The Editor: This letter is in response to two in the Times-News, one on Aug. 12 titled Right on McCain, Wrong on Carter, and the second on Aug. 1 titled Obama no less qualified than McCain.</p><p>I was pleased that one author implicitly conceded that Sen. McCain’s military experience does set him apart from Sen. Obama, who has had none. The author, however, challenged my contention that President Jimmy Carter had never been qualified to command a nuclear submarine. The Aug. 1 letter stated Carter...was qualified to command a nuclear submarine. My Aug. 7 rebuttal stated President Jimmy Carter, while a qualified submarine officer, never served on board a nuclear submarine and was never qualified for command of such a ship.</p><p>The operative word is nuclear. Carter had become qualified to command submarines, but not nuclear submarines, an important distinction, as anyone who served in the Submarine Force when it was comprised of both conventional (diesel-electric) and nuclear submarines can attest.</p><p>While President Carter was a competent and qualified submarine officer, he never commanded a diesel submarine, attended nuclear power school or completed nuclear PCO training, therefore he was never qualified to command a nuclear submarine.</p><p>Richard T. Wright</p><p>Flat Rock</p><p>Wright is a retired U.S. Navy captain.</p>